Teenage girls come forward after 'brazen' fire at heritage school

Police have located three teenage girls wanted for questioning after they were seen in the vicinity of a fire at a heritage school building in Parramatta, just metres away from the state's police headquarters.

After releasing CCTV on Monday, the three girls, all aged 17, spoke to detectives from the State Crime Command's arson unit at Gosford police station on Monday night.

"It’s anticipated the three girls will receive a caution under the Young Offenders Act for Trespass (Enter enclosed Lands)," NSW Police said in a statement.

The CCTV captured three females at about 2am on May 19, less than three hours before flames engulfed the old Parramatta Public School at 4.45am.

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Commander of the arson unit, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, had earlier said that police believed "they have got vital information about who actually started the fire. That's why we are appealing for the girls to come forward".

She said investigators believed up to four older males were also in the vicinity of the Macquarie Street school in the early hours of May 19.

Investigators believe the two groups may have met earlier in the evening.

The fire caused an estimated $10 million damage to the school. Credit:ABC

The heritage building, which was built in 1923, was retired this year to make room for the state's first high-rise high school and multi-storey primary school, a development that may be delayed as a result of the fire.

About 300 people had to be evacuated from a nearby apartment building because of the fire, although no one was injured.

About 75 firefighters and 19 trucks were deployed to fight the flames, and firefighters were still trying to put out the fire more than six hours later.

Police are appealing for these three teenagers to come forward. Credit:NSW Police

Estimates suggest the blaze caused in excess of $10 million damage to the heritage building, which developers were intending to incorporate into the new development.

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"We do not believe that will be the case any more," Superintendent Howlett said, adding that the alleged arson attack was quite brazen, considering its proximity to NSW Police headquarters.

"There was actually asbestos in the building, which could cause significant issues to members of the public, flying debris; that's why we want to apprehend these offenders as quickly as we possibly can before they do something stupid again."

Arson unit investigators established Strike Force Zingara to investigate the blaze and urge anyone with information to contact police.